Kaleidoscope of Emotional Butterflies
by Darkmoose84
Summary: After waking from a prophetic nightmare, King Marco gets some important news from Star as the new year begins, which will bring about a massive change in their lives. Short, sweet story that has the typical tropes of my others. (And for the continuation, see The Missing Underworld Princess)


December 31st, 2027

King Marco found himself wandering through a dark cave, though it appeared that the path must have been man-made, given how smooth it was compared to the rest of the triangular, shaped corridor. He still proceeded onward, not knowing how or why he was there. He just kept moving forward, as if some extra-planar force was guiding him towards the abyssal darkness.

He looked on the ground for a moment, and in what little light he had, he found something he thought he recognize for a moment. It was some plastic and paper stick with an evident plus symbol on it. He decided to pay it no mind and proceeded onward.

As he proceeded through the stalactite laden aperture, he could hear a faint hum of humanoid voices and could make out the light at the end of the tunnel. Eventually, he came to a large chamber, very much reminiscent of the primitive cathedrals produced during the 18th and 19th century in New England and the Midwest throughout North America. From the passage where he had entered, carved steps spiraled down to the landing where multiple ten foot tall wooden torches lit the room. Marco had no choice but to decent where a group of dark-robed figures, both Mewman and monster alike, lined the walls. One of them was wearing a red robe with what looked like a crossed out eye on its hood; Marco immediately recognized this as the Society of the Blind Eye, but he wondered what one of their members was doing here.

He didn't have long to contemplate this conundrum before he could make out their chanting:

IA! IA! GLOBGOR FHTAGN!

What was more disturbing to Marco was the fact that none of them seemed to pay him any mind. It was as if he was either not a threat to them or worse yet an expected sacrifice. In the center of the room was a large opening that lead to possibly another chamber in the cave...or potentially to somewhere worse. Above it was another large platform where stood another one of the robed figures. They held out their hands, chanting the same chant, but it seemed as though they were directing it at Marco.

And all Marco could do was walk forward, though he had no control over his own feet.

He neared the darkened opening, the Stygian void, the yawning blackness beyond. As he drew closer to it, it horrified him further that not even the torches could penetrate its darkness. He could not shriek; it was as if his lungs would not allow him to make a yelp, a shout, or any sort of protest to where he was ultimately headed.

And within the darkness, he heard breathing. It was the heavy, echoing breath of something dark, deep, and terrible.

Suddenly, he felt a shock over his whole body.

"Marco! Marco!" he heard the voice of his wife, Queen Star, chirp as she shook him from his slumber, "Time to wake up, sleepy man! We've still gotta meet Jackie on the pier, remember?"

"Ugh..." Marco moaned as he shook his head awake. He looked around the room, moonlight being the only illumination from the window and the glass door near the balcony, sprawling itself into the royal chamber like some long regal rug. The cool air from outside flooded the chamber, and the image of falling snow just the glass didn't help Marco feel any warmer. Star was sitting on what was typically her side of the bed, her hand still on his shoulder. "I guess it is. I'm pretty sure the Echo Creek Pier is going to be crowded this time of night."

"Oh, I'm sure too," Star beamed, "And that's part of the fun is getting lost in the crowd. I miss being able to do that since we've had our titles for the past couple of years."

Marco rolled over and turned on the light on the nightstand to his right. It offered about ten feet of light in the vast room. On the nightstand was Janna and Tom's notebook they had left there during their last visit, it's notes mostly about how to expand their kingdom as well as offer new spell advice for Star in rebuilding her spellbook and her new legacy. Marco was actually reading it to help him sleep, but as he glanced at it again, there was one line at the end of the notebook Janna had scribed that made his hair stand on end, though he had no idea why.

Janna's last note read thus: "Azathoth – hideous name..."

"But c'mon, Earth man," Star pulled him up out of bet, causing him to drop the notebook. "It's almost the New Year for Earth, and I don't wanna miss it!" Marco had no choice but to sigh and go along with it.

"Alight," Marco once again moaned, "We'll get our butts to the pier before the fireworks go off."

"Yeeeees!" Star exclaimed with excitement, "This is going to be awesome! And Marco...just to prepare you, I've got my own firework for you. Just letting you know so it doesn't blow up in your face."

The two eventually dressed in some casual, inconspicuous outfits (Star in a short, cute turquoise dress and Marco in some slacks and a professional looking dress shirt) and prepared themselves to journey back to Echo Creek, California.

"Ready, my boy king?" Star chided.

"Ready," Marco smiled. He produced his scissors out of his pocket and snipped a portal to the Echo Creek pier for them. The two entered and found themselves falling face first into the cedar wood of the pier and all but a few feet from Jackie. The crowd around them had to move out of the way as the two fell, though Jackie remained to greet them, expecting no less from them than some comical dramatic entrance.

"Whoa, dude!" Jackie exclaimed, "Didn't expect the king and queen of Mewni to crash in on the Echo Creek par-taaay!"

Star and Marco scrambled to their feet in front of her. It was almost comical to watch them.

"Well, you know us, Jackie," Star stated, "We like to make an entrance."

"Yup!" Marco chimed as he stood to attention and tried to regain his dignity, "At your service, queen of the LA skateboard pro circuit."

"Ha," Jackie chuckled, "You two never fail to give me a laugh. Goofy and serious at the same time."

"By the by," Star grinned, "How are you enjoying married life? Where is your husband?"

"Great," Jackie replied, "He's actually playing a gig over at one of the restaurants here but said he didn't mind me sneaking out to watch the fireworks go off."

"Awesome!" Star beamed, "We'll catch up with you a little later! I need to do some stuff with Marco for a little while. Byeee!"

"Later, dudes!" Jackie waved as the two walked down the pier towards the rides.

"Want to ride the roller coaster?" Marco asked his wife.

"Nah, not this time," Star answered with an uncomfortable smile, "I'm feeling kinda queasy."

"That's...surprising," Marco raised an eyebrow at her.

"C'mon, let's ride the ferris wheel," Star requested and dragged her husband in the direction of the ride. The two got on without too much of a wait, as most of the patrons were on the pier, waiting for the fireworks to go off. It would only be a few more minutes before this year ended and 2028 began. The ride proceeded, and Star and Marco gradually rose to the top.

"I just thought it would be awesome to see the fireworks from this high up," Star stated.

"You said you were feeling queasy," Marco said, "Is something wrong?"

"Weeeeelll, there's a reason for that," Star had that nervous smile on her face again, "And I'll tell you in a minute."

Below them, the crowd began shouting the countdown. The echos of "30...29...28..." filled the air and bellowed up to the top of the ferris wheel.

"I actually just found out last night..." Star continued, but Marco already had an idea of what she was going to say. Still, he let her continue without interrupting. "I was waiting for the right time to tell you, and I thought this would be it." The crowd below were coming to the end of their countdown. "I...I'm pregnant, Marco. We're going to be parents this year!"

Just then, the countdown reached zero, and an array of loud and flashy fireworks burst off the coast of the pier, illuminating it with many vibrant and varied colors.

Marco felt a wave of shock go over him, but it wasn't a bad feeling. He wasn't sure what he felt; it was a combination of nervousness, excitement, warmth, fear, and joy. It was a kaleidoscope of butterflies flying through him, and he knew his wife must be feeling the same thing.

"That's..." Marco stuttered, "That's wonderful, Star! I...don't know what to say..."

"Why don't you kiss me then?" She then pulled her husband towards her, and the two held each other close and kissed while fireworks burst above them.

This year would bring with it new beginnings and new life. Of all the adventures, this was something new and grandiose in which neither of them could have imagined. Nonetheless, they would face it together and raise their child with the wisdom and knowledge they had acquired through their travels and experiences. And as they held each other, they were reminded that no matter what the future brought, they would see it through, united in their love.


End file.
